LOCAL FOOD

SUBMITTED BY EUSEBIO CACAYURAN

Bringing ayuda and bayanihan to the Rockies

words :: Lauren Kepkiewicz in collaboration with Jun Cacayuran, Maria Louisa Dela Cruz and Edna Ermita

In 2020, the Filipino Organization in the Rocky Mountains (FORM) found itself on the frontlines of a pandemic, responding to the uneven impacts of COVID in the Bow Valley and beyond. The association is guided by ayuda and bayanihan, two values embedded in Filipino culture. Ayuda is to give support and assistance, perhaps in the form of food; bayanihan means to give back and help one’s community without expecting anything in return.

FORM began with the intention of supporting community members, building relationships, and celebrating Filipino culture. Volunteer Jun Cacayuran explains, “FORM started because we wanted to introduce our children to their culture.” With the arrival of COVID, FORM rallied to provide community members with culturallyappropriate food hampers and grocery gift cards. This work has been integral to ensuring that those in precarious living and working situations have enough to eat.

“During the first phase of COVID we were so scared, but we thought of ayuda and our experiences in the Philippines. We thought, we can adapt ayuda in Canada. We started in March 2020 and received 150 food packs. We shopped for, packed, and distributed them. We went from house to house. We started there,” says Jun.

FORM’s work is done for community, by community. They build relationships from the ground up—through text and WhatsApp chains, by distributing food to doorsteps, organizing fundraisers to support community members in difficult circumstances, and by personally responding to questions about everything from permanent residency applications to employment issues. “People come to us and we give advice,” explains volunteer Marie Louisa Dela Cruz and then Jun chimes in, “Sometimes we’re consultants, other times we’re marriage counsellors or we help solve a problem with the kids.“

FORM also works with Filipino communities across Alberta with a focus in rural areas that often do not have the same supports as those in urban centres. FORM envisions a province-wide network that shares resources and expertise, particularly during emergencies. This vision of reciprocal support builds on relationships formed and strengthened during COVID. Marie Louisa explains that prior to the pandemic, “We didn’t know Filipino communities in other areas. When we found out that there were, we extended our help and that was the start of the connection.”

“It’s in our culture to help,” she adds. “It’s the way we do things and how we connect with people—we start with the Filipino community, and then we go out to connect with others.”

Although the past two years have been extremely difficult, armed with ayuda and the bayanihan spirit, FORM has created a network of relationships that have taken root here in the Rocky Mountains based on wellbeing, strength, creativity, and equity.

All trails lead back to Golden B.C.

There are places that have their own gravity. And at the eastern edge of British Columbia, where the Columbia and Kicking Horse rivers meet, and the Purcell and Rocky Mountains part, all trails lead back to Golden. Over the last ten years, this former railroad and forestry town has become a model for mountain bike development. While some riding destinations are spread out and remote even from the towns they’re based from, Golden is the nexus point for every trail in the valley it occupies—over 185 kilometres (115 miles) worth of them. Riding is part of the very fabric of this little burg, with helmet- and cleat-wearing aliens filling downtown on any given day, at the start, end, or middle of their rides. Pedaling from your doorstep isn’t something you have to force yourself to do here, it’s the most sensible way to roll—and that’s by design. Beginning just south of town, the Mountain Shadows network stretches along the bottom of Mount 7, just a few minutes’ ride from Golden’s cafes, shops, and restaurants. Made famous in the early days for its raucous downhill tracks, Mount 7’s classic lines still exist, but these days also braid into a technical XC system that laces through sandy soil with impressive flow. While the climbs in the Mountain Shadows can be punchy, they offer fluid and fast downhill sections anybody will be comfortable on. Higher up, slabs and rock gardens provide a technical challenge; while tight, twisty descents reward those who can clean all the climbs. Meanwhile, another five-minute pedal away, on the other side of the valley, the CBT network winds up a plateau overlooking the Columbia. It’s smooth and fast here, with trails like the Mighty Quinn, Gold Rush, and Hymenoptera tapping into modern mountain biking style. In truly inclusive fashion, there’s also an adaptive loop at the bottom, called Arm Pumper. It has two speedy descent options, both of which double as perfect learning trails for kids. (There’s also a kids’ trail in the Mountain Shadows called Bush Party.) The Moonraker system is buff and fast; a place you can mash the miles in. This all sits below the gondola-access bike park up at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, which has two full-service bike shops. While in Golden, hike in one of the six nearby national parks, walk across Canada’s highest suspension bridge, canoe through the Columbia River Wetlands or raft the Kicking Horse River. Soak up the sun on one of our downtown patios with your choice of fun local venues, restaurants, bars and our local brewery.

Start planning: tourismgolden.com/life

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